Paris Attacker Identified As Algerian Man Who Was Not On A Watchlist

The man suspected of yesterday's attack on six French soldiers in a Paris suburb has been identified as a 36-year-old Algerian who was not known to intelligence services.

The alleged attacker is currently being treated at a hospital in Lille and his injuries are not life-threatening.

He was said by local media to have been injured by five police bullets, after being shot following a car chase on a motorway in Boulonge.

Police have said that the suspect was on their records, but only because of a minor infringement and that the French intelligence services were not aware of him.

Credit: PA

The man, who was unarmed when Police caught up with him, is a resident of Sartrouville, in the north-western suburbs of Paris, French media report.

He was wanted in connection with an attack yesterday morning, in which six French soldiers were ploughed into by a BMW. All six were injured, two of them seriously. However, none of the men's injuries are life-threatening.

The attacked soldiers were part of Opération Sentinelle, part of France's state of emergency, which has been ongoing since the November 2015 terrorist attacks.

President Emmanuel Macron has previously called for the operation to be reassessed, sparking an intense debate. Its critics argue that it makes security forces an easier target for potential terrorist attacks.

Credit: PA

Mr Patrick Balkany, Mayor of Levallois-Perret, spoke out on the attack yesterday.

"Without any doubt, it was a deliberate act," he told broadcaster BFM TV.

"It all happened very quickly. The vehicle did not stop. It hurtled at them... it accelerated rapidly," he said.

"The soldiers were rushed to hospital," he added.

Mr Balkany went on to denounce the attack as 'intolerable'.

"It's without doubt a deliberate act ... This vehicle was waiting for them," he continued.

"The BMW accelerated very quickly the moment they came out. This happened in the middle of the town. It happened very quickly.

"Levallois is a calm place ... this is an odious aggression against our military that nobody expected."

Roger Karoutchi, a local senator, said: "We have to be careful, but it wasn't a classic road accident. As for the motives, we will have to wait until the person or people concerned are arrested."

The incident marks the latest attack in a string of terrorist assaults on the French capital.

France has been in a state of emergency since the November 2015 attacks in Paris and remains on high alert.

Claire Reid

Claire Reid is a journalist at LADbible. Claire graduated from Liverpool John Moores University with a BA in journalism. She’s previously worked at Trinity Mirror. Since joining LADbible, Claire has worked on pieces for the UOKM8? mental health campaign, the Yemen crisis, life in the Calais Jungle as well as a profile of a man who is turning himself into a cyborg.